Councilor Freierman stated that, in the interest of helping commercial fishermen save money on rapidly escalating fuel costs, she again wanted the Council to urge DEC to change the striped bass by-catch allowance for commercial trawlers through emergency rule-making.  The Council previously recommended to DEC that this allowance should be increased to 21 fish from the current allowance of 7, but with no reference to making this change through emergency rule-making.  With the larger limit, Ms. Freierman contended, a trawler could quickly catch its allowance in a single trip and not have to steam every day to catch the lower limit.  Mr. Colvin pointed out that the otter trawl is a prohibitive gear for the directed commercial harvest of striped bass and that the 7-fish limit allowed to trawlers is a by-catch allowance.  The Council has never recommended that trawlers be allowed to direct fishing effort at striped bass.  Further, Mr. Colvin does not see the justification in pursuing this recommended change through emergency rule-making, which requires a demonstration that a specific situation involves a clear and present danger to human health or significant damage to the environment or natural resources. 

The Council’s recommendation to increase the striped bass by-catch allowed to trawl fishermen from 7 to 21 fish in possession is part of a completed rule-making package that is now under legal review by DEC/Albany.  This set of proposals will be published in the State Register as soon as the editing is completed.  It will then be available for public comment.   Councilor Danielson made the motion to table further discussion of this issue.  The motion to table carried by a vote of 8 in favor; 1 opposed ; 4 abstentions.

 

Page last modified Tuesday, November 8, 2005 by George E. Carroll